The Final Ritual-Conclusion
The Final Ritual-Conclusion
MLC ends today! But no worries <3
'Doctor Demon' has been published already! Add it to your library now and support me for spirity 2021
Link: https://www.webnovel.com/book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405
.....
Mina half carried Kanji towards the fort. It was past 12:05 AM. A few moments ago, they heard the cries of what sounded like a wolf crying in grief. Kanji was still too weak and was nearly losing consciousness.
When she entered the fort with Kanji, she was met with grim gazes.
"Brother…" she whispered. Minho gave her a pained look while Gayoon was consoling Jina in her arms. Junho and Shinjin were sitting on the floor while Jason was next to…
"You brought my body back," Kanji whispered. He smiled at Minho who could not meet his friend's sad eyes. Kanji let go of Mina and slowly staggered towards Minho. Mina, on the other hand, was completely numb upon seeing Kanji's still body on the ground. As if in a trance, she walked towards it and stooped down. She put her head on its chest and closed her eyes. Jason was still as a statue upon seeing his son's body, unsure of what to say.
"You're a bad person," Minho said to Kanji. "I thought you promised that you'll annoy me forever!"
Kanji faked a wide smile, hiding the pain in his heart. "I thought you hated me! Are you telling me that you actually love me as a friend, Hwang Minho? I'm blushing!"
Instead of showing his usual annoyance at Kanji, Minho pulled him to a hug.
"I can't stay without you," Minho confessed, trying hard not to cry. "Who am I gonna rip off now?"
"Ugh!" Kanji mockingly scowled. "My wallet has gone empty! All thanks to you! You should worry about who's gonna be your wingman now. I mean, my rules of love helped you win over Gayoon-"
"Those useless rules should burn in hell with all demons!" Minho claimed. "Who the hell is the editor of that dumb magazine anyway?"
"Me!" Kanji said in a cheery tone. "It's one of my many secret projects! And quite popular with the ladies too. Will you take over my precious magazine after I'm gone?"
Minho now scowled for real. "Never!" he said in disgust.
Kanji's shoulders fell in sadness. Gayoon and Jina came to see him off one last time. Jina was still finding it hard to believe that Kanji would be gone.
"I'm gonna miss all of you," he whispered. "Especially my little niece here. Who's gonna teach her about romance once I'm gone?"
"Stay with us!" Jina insisted. "I can help you communicate with others."
"I can't stay here forever," Kanji said in a sad tone. "Uncle Haejong let me stay in his body but I've extended my stay for too long. It's time for me to leave."
"You can stay for a while," Gayoon said. "Not in Haejong's body but at least with us."
"No."
Everyone looked around to see Junho standing up. He sighed at them.
"The longer a spirit stays in this world, the more in pain he will be in," Junho whispered. "Not being able to talk to his loved ones. Also, seeing his loved ones grow old while he'll be stuck like this. It's a painful existence."
"Junho is right," Shinjin added. "No matter how painful it is, we must accept death as part of a journey. It's not the end but the beginning of something beautiful."
Jason, who was still in shock all this time, looked at the man with Haejong's face. He slowly got up and walked towards him.
"Are you...are you really Kanji?" he whispered. He touched Kanji's cheek, as if he was beginning to see his son clearly for the first time in days.
"Dad…" Kanji whispered in a teary tone. He hugged his father, unable to hold back his tears anymore. He had missed his father so much and was not able to tell him the truth for a while. It was killing Kanji from the inside. The torment of not being able to address his father was even worse than death.
"Stay," Jason begged, crying for his son. "Stay with me. We're here! You belong here!"
"I can't," Kanji said. "Besides, my scary looks might frighten Jina!"
"But you're not scary looking at all!" Jina sobbed. "You didn't even seem like you were a ghost when I first met you. No injuries, nothing at all."
Junho, who was sad, froze and looked at Jina.
"What did you say?" he asked in suspicion. "He had no injuries?"
"None," Jina said, startled by the change in her grandfather's tone. "I told you. He looked alive."
Junho and Shinjin looked at each other. Minho and Gayoon were also looking at Kanji with suspicion.
"Kanji, didn't you say that Anna first injured you and then choked you to death?" Minho gritted, his sadness gone in an instant. Now, it was replaced with his usual annoyance, his nostrils flaring up. Jason was also confused while Gayoon rushed towards Kanji's body to check the pulse.
Mina also slowly got up and met Gayoon's eyes.
"W-what is going on?" Kanji asked in confusion.
"Jang Kanji," Minho began. "When a person dies and becomes a ghost, his spirit comes in the form of how he died. Like Yumi appears in bits and pieces. Casper's head was bashed in."
"So?" Kanji asked slowly. "What does it mean?"
"It means," Mina spoke up, slowly flexing her knuckles. "That you are alive and your body fell into a coma after Anna tried to kill you."
"Which is why you never appeared as a full fledged ghost," Gayoon supplied. "Just like how CCK was. But he was a dark shadow because he had killed many people out of malice whereas you only killed to protect your friends. Your soul is still intact, Kanji. And your body isn't dead. It's just in a coma."
"So...I'm...alive?" Kanji asked, shocked by the turn of events. From within his consciousness another voice spoke up.
"You really are an idiot, aren't you?" Haejong asked in a deadpan tone.
Kanji looked around, gulping at everyone's deathly stares. Even Jason shook his head at his son's idiocy. Mina's temper was now at an all time high.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, YOU MORON?" she yelled. "GET BACK IN YOUR BODY BEFORE I KICK YOU TO HELL MYSELF!"